scholarly journals Planning for Chronic Disease Medications in Disaster: Perspectives From Patients, Physicians, Pharmacists, and Insurers

2013 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 257-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelley A. Carameli ◽  
David P. Eisenman ◽  
Joy Blevins ◽  
Brian d'Angona ◽  
Deborah C. Glik

AbstractBackgroundRecent US disasters highlight the current imbalance between the high proportion of chronically ill Americans who depend on prescription medications and their lack of medication reserves for disaster preparedness. We examined barriers that Los Angeles County residents with chronic illness experience within the prescription drug procurement system to achieve recommended medication reserves.MethodsA mixed methods design included evaluation of insurance pharmacy benefits, focus group interviews with patients, and key informant interviews with physicians, pharmacists, and insurers.Results and DiscussionMost prescriptions are dispensed as 30-day units through retail pharmacies with refills available after 75% of use, leaving a monthly medication reserve of 7 days. For patients to acquire 14- to 30-day disaster medication reserves, health professionals interviewed supported 60- to 100-day dispensing units. Barriers included restrictive insurance benefits, patients’ resistance to mail order, and higher copay-ments. Physicians, pharmacists, and insurers also varied widely in their preparedness planning and collective mutual-aid plans, and most believed pharmacists had the primary responsibility for patients’ medication continuity during a disaster.ConclusionsTo strengthen prescription drug continuity in disasters, recommendations include the following: (1) creating flexible drug-dispensing policies to help patients build reserves, (2) training professionals to inform patients about disaster planning, and (3) building collaborative partnerships among system stakeholders. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2013;7:257-265)

2012 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 182-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darshi Balasuriya ◽  
Ellen Iverson ◽  
Rita V. Burke ◽  
Jeffrey S. Upperman

ABSTRACTWe examined the response of 11 Los Angeles County (LAC) hospitals designated as Disaster Resource Centers (DRCs) to a statewide, earthquake preparedness drill, LAC's most comprehensive earthquake disaster drill to date. Semistructured interviews were conducted with the coordinators of 11 of the 14 LAC DRCs within 3 weeks of the drill. Interviews were transcribed and thematic analysis was supported by analytical software (Atlas.ti). Except for one pediatric specialty DRC, most DRCs did little to fully test their institutions' capacity to manage pediatric patients. Few DRCs included children as mock victims. Little or no attention was focused on pediatric triage and other pediatric clinical, psychosocial, and resource issues. Respondents maintained that community readiness is hampered by compartmentalizing the preparedness planning, training, and drilling. Without a mandate to coordinate with other agencies, few DRCs reported coordination with other community entities. Those that did were in smaller submunicipalities within LAC. Community coordination is critical to effective response to disasters, yet disaster preparedness planning and drills are most often uncoordinated and compartmentalized. Drills and training need to be transdisciplinary and coordinated with other community entities likely to play a role in pediatric disaster management.(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2012;6:182–186)


2012 ◽  
Vol 37 (11) ◽  
pp. 1289-1293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandar Kecojevic ◽  
Carolyn F. Wong ◽  
Sheree M. Schrager ◽  
Karol Silva ◽  
Jennifer Jackson Bloom ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chyndy Kasmila ◽  
Tirton Nefianto ◽  
L Lasmono

Disaster preparedness in schools is still on the minimum level, whereas schools necessarily are the centers of teaching and learning activities to give proper education for the nation’s better future. The purpose of this research is to analyze the preparedness of SMAN 2 Bogor to face flash flood disaster, and to analyze the impact of its occurrence. This research uses qualitative method, and the locus is Sukaresmi Village, Tanah Sareal Sub-district, Bogor City, West Java. The data is obtained from predetermined informants and analyzed by qualitative analysis technique. The parameters used in the analysis are knowledge and attitude parameters, policies and guidelines, emergency response plans, disaster warning systems, also resource mobilization. The results show that disaster preparedness in SMAN 2 Bogor is held by using various resources of school residents and supporting facilities, yet it has not been maximally done to increase the capacity of students and other elements of SMAN 2 Bogor. In general, schools only focus on the academic achievement, which ultimately leads to the lack of sensitivity toward people’s welfare needs. Awareness of disaster preparedness should not be owned only by the students, but also by educators, officials, and all elements of the school. However, this research analysis focuses more on the students. The unawareness of disaster preparedness planning is the main factor which makes the socialization and capacity improvement can not be done sustainably. Co-ordination and consultation with Provincial Government and Regional Disaster Management Agency is the necessary thing to do for the disaster prepardness planning.


2009 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 137-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey I. Gold, PhD ◽  
Zorash Montano, BA ◽  
Sandra Shields, LMFT, ATR-BC, CTS ◽  
Nicole E. Mahrer, BA ◽  
Viktoria Vibhakar, LCSW, LMSW ◽  
...  

Introduction: The increasing prevalence of disasters worldwide highlights the need for established and universal disaster preparedness plans.The devastating events of September 11 and Hurricane Katrina have spurred the development of some disaster response systems. These systems, however, are predominantly focused on medical needs and largely overlook mental health considerations. Negative outcomes of disasters include physical damage as well as psychological harm. Mental health needs should be considered throughout the entire disaster response process, especially when caring for children, adolescents, and their families.Objective: To provide an overview and recommendations for the integration of mental health considerations into pediatric disaster preparedness and response in the medical setting.Methods: Recommendations were developed by a panel of disaster preparedness and mental health experts during the Childrens Hospital Los Angeles Pediatric Disaster Resource and Training Center: Workshop on Family Reunification in Los Angeles, California, March 31-April 1, 2008. Experts discussed the inclusion of mental health-specific considerations and services at all stages of disaster preparedness and response. Recommendations involve the integration of mental health into triage and tracking, the adoption of a child ambassador model, environment, and developmentally appropriate interventions, education, communication, death notification, and family reunification.Conclusions: The inclusion of mental health concerns into pediatric disaster preparedness may help prevent further and unnecessary psychological harm to children and adolescent survivors following a disaster.


2011 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saher Selod, MA ◽  
Janice Heineman, PhD ◽  
Catherine O’Brien, MPH, MA ◽  
Scott P. King, PhD

Objectives: Although the consequences of Hurricane Katrina motivated considerable research into long-term care (LTC) facility preparedness, many questions still remain. This study examines the characteristics of LTC facility in relation to the level of preparedness to discern whether there are patterns that can inform future planning efforts. The data from PREPARE, a federally funded disaster preparedness program for LTC staff, are used in the analysis.Methods: More than 400 PREPARE participants completed both baseline and impact surveys as well as a demographic survey, allowing for an analysis of the characteristics and levels of disaster preparedness among participating LTC facilities. Crosstabs were run for the baseline and impact surveys against the demographic survey that the participants completed. Cluster analysis was performed to fit organizations into distinct groups based on their baseline responses to key preparedness domains.Results: The results of the crosstabs reveal the specific areas where LTC facilities have a more comprehensive disaster plan. For example, skilled nursing facilities appear to be more prepared than continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs); rural facilities seem to be more prepared than urban facilities; and facilities that are part of a chain did not emerge as being better equipped than independent facilities. Cluster analysis found three groups of organizations: “Resourceful but Hesitant,” “Unprepared,” and “Model Preparedness.”Conclusions: These findings have important implications for public health efforts surrounding disaster preparedness in LTC. The findings suggest that CCRCs deserve special attention in preparedness planning and that consideration in disaster planning is required in both rural and urban areas.


2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 04015022 ◽  
Author(s):  
June L. Gin ◽  
Derrick Kranke ◽  
Rebecca Saia ◽  
Aram Dobalian

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